In a cold stone hall, filled with hanging chains, a man in an apron toiled with saw and needle. The man, wearing a pleasant smile, was hard at work.

  Before him on a table laid the strapped figure of a manmade horror. The thing was over three meters long, shaped like an insect made of human parts. A dozen arms and legs, some fused with extra joints connected to a body of spliced human cores. A cluster of arms clutched the head, sewn straight to the skull like a macabre helmet.

  Now and then, an inhuman groan gurgled out of its throat.

  The man carved out a hole in its chest, just to the side of an exposed beating heart. A door opened in the distance and the man’s faint smile turned into a frown.

  “I will be finished very shortly.” He said without looking up. “As such, I presume this disturbance must be of utmost importance.”

  Two silhouettes came closer through the hanging forest of hooks. A few months before, limbs had occupied most. Now only a sparse few remained.

  “Apologies professor.” A man with a longsword slung over his back said as he weaved through the chains. “I bring good news.”

  Accompanying him was a fatigued looking woman with chains wrapped around her midsection.

  “Our agent in the bureau sent a report. They’re laying low, but identified the group we encountered.”

  The professor wiped his gloves on his apron and picked up an iron lockbox from under the table. The monster gave a moan, and the woman with the chains cast a cautious glance.

  “Go on, Marish,” The professor said with no hint of impatience.

  “One hunter is an Ember,” Marish said. “Capable of regenerating even extensive damage.”

  “Limbs?”

  “Yes, but that is not all. You’ll like this.” Marish said with a nervous smile. “His other blessing is to change his body into anything he has killed and consumed.”

  The professor’s head turned, his usual reserved face carrying a disturbing look of affection. “Has he done so?”

  Marish nodded.

  “Yes, two forms at least, a giant rat and Milley’s. His left hand is undeniably inhuman.” Marish answered

  “He is… perfect,” the professor whispered. “Can we secure him?”

  “Under normal circumstances, exceedingly difficult.” Marish replied. “But, the bureau is scrambling, something is coming. We’ll have a window.”

  The professor opened the box with a click. Inside were a dozen glowing coals, each pulsing with a fiery hue. He removed a glove to pick one up and inspect its sleek surface.

  “Make sure he can be contained but you need not bother me with the details, I have full faith in you and your channels. After all, they brought me these.”

  “Then we will take our leave.” Marish said as he and the woman began to turn.

  The professor shook his head.

  “No, no.” He said with an iron tone. “Stay, both of you. This could prove... educational.”

  The woman with chains wrapped around her waist glanced at her male counterpart, her brow furrowing.

  “With my blessed power. A sculpture of flesh and a coal can merge. The result is a Blessed. One in ten shows promise. Most simply hold their beautiful form, and develop no usable blessings.”

  The professor’s eyes lit with fire as he was still inspecting the coal.

  “But no matter the outcome, I find the process utterly spectacular. I think you’ll agree.”

  He pressed the coal into the hole of the creature's chest, beside the beating heart.

  The two onlookers held their breaths.

  A violent spasm shot through its body. Muscles twitched. Limbs of different lengths and sizes jerked against leather restraints. Flesh crept around the ember and the stitched helmet trembled.

  From the forehead of Marish and Alyona, beads of sweat formed.

  “This hunter you speak of, what are they called?” The professor said without looking away from his creation. His smile, replaced with a blank stare.

  The creature’s throat let out a guttural roar of agony, vibrating the chains.

  “Wretch…" Marish answered with a shiver. “Wretch the Rat-Eater.”

  The professor nodded as the creature quivered and struggled before him.

  “What a beautiful name.”

  Steps walking up the stairs disturbed the sound of scissors working methodically. It was cloudy outside the balcony window and gray light pierced through the glass into the room.

  Wretch was sitting on a kitchen chair, dressed only in a white shirt and underpants, his arms wrapped around the sheathed Blinking Blade.

  “Stay still!” Astrid commanded as Edmund came up the stairs.

  “I am trying...” Wretch pleaded.

  Edmund removed his hat and drew his gloved fingers through his hair.

  “The poor lad’s shivering, Astrid.” He said, with a hint of amusement.

  “I am not shivering!” Wretch said.

  Astrid sighed, and with a snip another pair of dark locks fell across his field of view.

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  “He was absolutely ragged,” she said. “No one would take him seriously.”

  “Any news captain?” Wretch said, trying to escape his ordeal.

  “I’ll tell you later. Don’t want Astrid to cut your ear off.”

  “Nonsense! He can regrow it in an hour.” Astrid said in a monotone voice as her scissor cut without pause. “He poked out his own eye just last week, remember?”

  “It’s the blood on the floor that worries me, think about the retail value.” Edmund said, walking to the kitchen. “Where is Elenya?”

  “She’s late for our training, maybe she’s still sleeping, the twins left for school about an hour ago.” Wretch said.

  Edmund checked his pocket watch and poured himself a cup of coffee from a kettle left on the counters. “Nine o’clock, that’s lazy, even for her.”

  “I heard her sneak out last night. When she came back she was loud, like she had a limp leg or something,” Wretch said.

  “Another binge,” Astrid said. “She needs a mission.”

  Wretch raised an eyebrow. “What is a binge?”

  “Don’t worry about it, just sit still and drop the bloody sword!” Astrid answered.

  Another few snips and the scissors stopped.

  “There, all done. Look,” Astrid said as she held out a small handheld mirror.

  Wretch blinked at his reflection, his mouth hanging open. He was unrecognizable. The tangled mess, muddling his vision was gone, leaving sharp jawlines and brown eyes on a face marred by scars. The neck and sides were cut short, transitioning into longer and longer lengths, giving him a youthful appearance.

  “Wow...” he said under his breath.

  “See, I told you.” Astrid said as she crossed her arms in a boastful pose.

  A series of heavy thuds echoed behind them and they turned as Edmund banged on Elenya’s door.

  “Rise and shine, young lady, there is work to do.” He shouted through the door.

  Weights shifted inside the room, followed by a groan.

  A moment later, the door swung open.

  Elenya stood in the doorway, one arm leaning against the top of the frame. She wore only an oversized white shirt. A slight swelling to her usual sharp facial features and dark circles under her eyes. The hair, frizzy to the point of defying gravity.

  A powerful scent of spirit washed over Wretch’s senses.

  “Is there a mission?” she rasped.

  Edmund carried a faint smile, while Astrid frowned.

  “Hey there, hunter!” the captain said.

  “By the Saint, Elenya! you smell like a distillery fire. Get yourself in order,” Astrid said.

  Elenya clutched her forehead and groaned.

  “Whatever, are we going or not?”

  Edmund tilted his head, still with his trademark smile. If he harbored any dejection or disappointment, he hid it well.

  “Something big is about to happen, I’ll receive the orders this afternoon and we set off tomorrow morning,” he said.

  Elenya looked down at him, a head taller than her captain.

  “Plenty of time, just need some water and a bite to eat.” she said.

  “Good, the kid can prepare some breakfast.” Edmund said and turned around, giving Wretch a wink who looked around, confused.

  The door closed with a thud.

  Astrid stared after her. “You’re too soft. She’s self destructive,” Astrid said.

  “She is,” Edmund said. “But that wouldn’t help.”

  Wretch got up from his chair and brushed off the stray hair, then followed Edmund to the kitchen on naked feet.

  “What’s wrong with her?” he said, looking up at the captain with his large brown eyes.

  “She is grieving.” The captain said, casually pulling food from the pantry.

  “Grieving who?”

  Astrid paused in the hall, one hand on the door.

  “She is grieving a future that she lost. And she’s letting it devour her any chance she gets,” Astrid said and closed the door, leaving Edmund and Wretch making sandwiches in the kitchen.

  They worked in silence for a while. Only the occasional meow from Whisky who sat by their feet, pleading for scraps.

  Wretch broke the silence first.

  “It must be hard. Being a captain, I mean.”

  Edmund still wore the soft smile he always wore, with tiny wrinkles at the far edges of his eyes. “In some ways, in others, it’s easier than breathing.”

  Wretch peeled an apple with the claw on his index finger.

  “I have been wondering. When someone asks to join, how’d you know they’ll be a good hunter?”

  “I don’t.” Edmund said simply and Wretch raised an eyebrow.

  “You can’t predict who’ll break when the horrors come crawling. So I look for what I know, good people.”

  Wretch put the cooling coffee back on the stove.

  “Do you see that in Elenya and Astrid?”

  Edmund looked thoughtful for a moment.

  “Of course, but they are also opposites. Astrid looked for this life and cut ties to achieve it. For Elenya, that choice was made for her.”

  Wretch nodded.

  “Elenya Butcher of Yenvograd...” he muttered.

  Edmund finished making his breakfast and sat down by the counter.

  “Yes, but don’t press her on it. She’ll tell if she wants you to know.”

  Wretch cut a bread loaf with a kitchen knife as Edmund bit into his sandwich.

  “Fair, then I shouldn’t press you either,” Wretch said.

  Edmund flashed him a grin.

  “You are quick on your feet and in thought. I knew you’d be a good pickup.”

  Wretch returned a smile as he finished the best sandwich he could produce. The twins often asked him to help in the kitchen after they discovered his claws were excellent potato peelers and he had learned a thing or two.

  He arranged two cut pieces of bread with layers of butter, turkey, lettuce and tomatoes, finishing with a pinch of salt on top. Sliced and peeled apple, shuffled like a deck of cards on the side of the ceramic platter.

  “Do we have any notepaper and a pen nearby?” Wretch asked.

  A while later, Elenya left her room. Dressed in black pants and a vest, her hair tied in a loose knot at the back of her head. There was still a puffiness to her cheeks and the white of her eyes were stained by red.

  Whisky jumped down from the kitchen counter to circle her feet as she looked around the room. It was empty except for Edmund in his outer coat, enjoying a cup of coffee in the kitchen

  “Sorry.” She said as she picked up the cat.

  Edmund shook his head. “Don’t be.”

  Elenya walked up to the counter. A prepared sandwich waited for her.

  “What’s this?” Elenya asked as she sat down on the stool with a groan from the wooden construct.

  “The kid made it for you, captain’s orders.”

  A tiny note was on display on the plate, a crude drawing of a rat-like figure juggling a knife with a grin. Besides it was a text so unskillfully written it was almost unreadable.

  To Elenya.